Teen Titans: The Next Generation Book 1: Origins
by I'mjustkillingtime
Summary: We didn't set out to be heroes, but what else could we do. If the titans are gone, then the five of us will step up and figure it all out. Sure we're green, and we don't know what we're doing, but the five of us are together, and that's all we need. Titans Go!
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

 _Jump City used to be a great place to live. Big shopping, plenty of parking, and by far the best pizza parlor this side of western hemisphere. You could almost say that it was the perfect place to live, if not for one itty-bitty, barely noticeable problem: Supervillains._

 _I know you're rolling your eyes at me, and believe me I don't blame you, but it's the honest truth. Everything from creatures of energy, amorphous piles of puss filled goo, a tv fanatic with a magic remote, a living heart monster, and…you know, it would take far too long to describe them all in full detail. Let's just leave it at there was no shortage of those that were willing to break into the bigtime in the most dangerous of ways possible. Ok, so maybe Jump City wasn't exactly an ideal town even back then, but at least we had them. The five paragons of justice that were barely old enough to drive: The Teen Titans!_

 _There was beast boy, the incredible shapeshift with mysterious green skin and a vegetarian diet. He could flawlessly assume the form of any animal, from the living to the extinct, and he was the comedic heart of the team._

 _Then there was Cyborg, half man, half machine, all hero. The team's tech specialist and mechanic, this former sports star was quite capable with his hands, whether making some new fancy gadget to give his friends the edge in battle, or simply bashing a badguy's brains in with his signature sonic canon._

 _Thirdly is the most mysterious of the group, Raven. With powers far beyond the comprehension of mere mortals, Raven is the lone wolf of the group. Through what many consider dark magic, she can telekinetically lift and toss objects of any size and mass, and is even capable of short to long range teleportation. From what I was able to learn, she also has daddy issues. Something I can relate to._

 _Following her is her fellow female titan, the radiant and bombastic Starfire. Ok, maybe I'm being a bit tacky here, but she's definitely the most inviting of the group. Heck, I've literally looked through old video surveillance footage, and I've been hardpressed to find a single time she wasn't smiling or doing something that showed she was happy. Hailing from a planet called Tamaran, Starfire possesses the ability to absorb solar radiation, which gifts her the power of flight and the ability to fire green energy projectiles from her hands and eyes._

 _Last, but certainly not least, we have the unconquerable boy wonder know as Robin. Though possessing no actual superpowers like his other teammates, Robin is the strategic head of the Teen Titans, and the best hand to hand fighter. He was trained by some of the greatest martial artists in the world, one in particular that I need not even mention, and with his bottomless bag of gadgets, plus an incredibly awesome motorcycle, he was a force to be feared by his enemies._

 _I'm sure you've guessed by now that a but is coming into this, and you would be right. About a year ago, well, they just disappeared, and I mean gone. Titan's Tower, their T-shaped home that resided on a small island on the lake, was nothing more than a smoldering wreck, and there was no sign of the five heroes after that. Some looked for them, some tried to take their place, but eventually the city gave up. Almost overnight, the city went straight into the toilet. It was divided up amongst the more powerful supervillains: Overload rules uptown, Control Freak owns downtown, Mad Mod dominated the east side, Mumbo Jumbo manned west side, and in the center of it all was the man in charge of it all, Slade. Having made his new fortress in the remains of Titan's Tower as a message of spite to his old foes, the masked man runs everything that goes on in Jump City. Everything to the smallest mugging to the largest of bank heists._

 _He seems to think he's invincible, ya know. He decrees that there are no more heroes in the city to save the day. No more capes that flap heroically in the wind as crime is sent to a screeching halt. Well, maybe he's right, but you know what? That's not gonna stop me from doing my darndest to try and make a change. If I learned anything from studying the Titans, it's that it just takes one person to make a difference, and I guess it may as well be me. I don't know if I'll even make a dent against those that seek to crush the city underfoot, but I'll at least fight to my last breath before the town bites the dust for good. Here's hoping and, if you're reading this, wish me luck. Boy, am I gonna need it._

 _Midnight,_

 _Slade's Bane_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1

The streets were quiet as the Dachshund Shuttle Bus pulled up to the stop. The wizened driver was visibly shaking as he scanned the surrounding area, and he drummed his fingers nervously against the steering wheel. He always hated coming through this stinking city in the past. The traffic was awful, the tourists were annoying, but the worst, the absolute worst, part of it all was the psychotic, superpowered freaks that seemed to swarm around the streets like cockroaches. Oh sure, there had been those ankle biters in the multicolored costumes that had made things somewhat livable around here, but now they were gone. No, he didn't know where they went, and frankly he didn't care. Superheroes had a habit of disappearing only to reappear dramatically when things got disastrous. He'd seen it before from Metropolis to Gotham, and he was certain it would happen here, too. It was a conspiracy, he was sure of it. Pulling himself from his thoughts, he peaked into his rearview mirror to look at his one and only passenger.

"You sure this is where you wanna get off, kid? This hasn't exactly been a place for children, lately."

His passenger was a young African American in his early teens dressed in a blue sports jacket and with his hair in dreadlocks. The boy looked up to his driver, and he offered a meek nod.

"Yes, sir. This is fine."

The driver just shrugged, and he pulled the lever that opened the door. The boy got up from his seat, picked up a small duffle bag, and he made his way out the door. When his feet met the sidewalk, he stopped, turned back to the driver, and offered him one last way.

"Thanks for the ride, g. Drive safely."

The driver replied with a snort.

"Oh, don't you worry about me. I just drive through this town. You're the one that's now stuck here."

With that, he closed the bus doors with a snap, and then the bus went barreling down the road as fast as it's wheels would allow. Now alone, the young lad did his own scan of the area, and it finally occurred to him just how quiet it was. Back in his hometown, he couldn't even fall asleep without hearing the constant wail of police and ambulance sirens. But here, there was nothing. An entire city, and it was like a ghost town: no cars racing up and down the street, no shoppers jumping from one big store to another, no punk teenagers blasting their music so loud, no grouchy old folks complaining to said teenagers about said music, and there weren't even any kids playing in the park nearby. It left an unsettling feeling in his stomach, and he was starting to feel very small in the world.

"Just take a deep breath, V." he mumbled to himself. "No matter how bad things ahead of you look, they're nothing in comparison to what's behind you."

With that thought in mind, the boy made his way forward and down the street. His plan was to find a relatively cheap hotel for the night, and then comb the city for any kind of work. Granted, it wasn't exactly Shakespeare level of intelligence, but it was better than anything else he could think of. He came to a stop at the crosswalk, and he breathed a deep sigh. He missed Dakota. Oh, how he missed Dakota! Sure, it was the crime capital of the universe, but it had been his home since birth. His everything had been there, and he had left it all behind: his dad, his friends, all of his favorite hangouts, and, worst of all, his momma's grave. That, to be honest, was what he was going to miss most of all. There hadn't been a single Saturday since her passing that he hadn't visited her cemetery. But, in the end, he knew it was the right thing to do. There were people he cared about, and there were people that hated him. Those people would go after the ones he cared about if he stayed. He couldn't live with that on his conscience, no matter how much more it would hurt to leave it all behind.

Suddenly, there was a loud explosion that nearly made the boy jump out of his skin. Looking up, he could see a bank with the windows shattered. Standing within, he could see four sturdy looking figures lording over a small populace of cowering people. The first was a skinny runt of a kid in a white body suit and a big green helmet. Also, he had ONE BIG EYE IN THE CENTER OF HIS FACE! Standing next to him was a much muter, yet every bit as mysterious, short, skinny kid dressed in grey with a dark, purple cloak and curved helmet. Following him was probably the biggest man that the kid had ever seen. Built like a mountain, and looking every bit as intellectual, with an unruly mane of red hair, he was dressed from head to toe in a black leotard with a big, yellow H emblazoned on his chest. The final member of this mixed bag of nuts looked way too young, and too bald, to be involved in something as devastating as a bank heist, but the massive spider legs extending from his small backpack seemed to make up for age and inexperience.

From what he could gather, these four were these supervillains he had heard tale of from the bus driver on his way here. Against his better judgement, he moved in close and knelt down at the base beneath the window so that he could hear, but not be seen. From his hiding place, he listened in on what was going on.

"Alright, crud-munchers!" exclaimed the younger thug with the spiderlegs. "This here is a good, old fashioned bank robbery. My associate, See-more, over there is going to be walking around and accepting donations from the lot of you while the slug-faced teller over there cranks open that safe for the biggest withdraw this city has ever seen."

In typical supervillain fashion, he tossed his head back with a wicked giggle, and it wasn't long before his friends joined in. The young traveler rolled his eyes at this. What was it with bad guys and the evil laughter schtick, anyway? He also wondered how long they rehearsed so that they could do it in perfect union. It then occurred to him that there was one crucial part missing to this entire scenario: the police! Seriously, there were no squad cars, no snipers, not even so much as someone shouting through a megaphone to talk these bozos down. Something as big of this should've gotten some sort of reaction from somebody by now. Just what was wrong with this city?

Just then, he heard something that sounded like someone blowing a raspberry. He peaked over the side of the wall, and he gasped to see that someone was doing just that. A young boy, perhaps no older than four, had managed to wriggle lose from his mother's protective arms, and he was sticking his tongue out at the largest of the thugs and making other rude gestures. The traveler felt sick to his stomach when the big brute tossed an angry sneer down at the kid. In one swift motion, he snatched the boy up by the collar of his shirt, and he hoisted him high into the air. The mother screamed in fright, and it directed the one-eyed thug his way. He frowned.

"Woah, hold on there, Mammoth! Put the kid down! There's no need for that!"

The big guy, Mammoth, shot him a disarming look.

"Can it, See-more! Ever since Slade took over, we've been getting nothing but the runaround. I can't even remember the last time I had a descent meal! If this is what it takes to get some respect again, then so be it!"

The traveler could feel his heartbeat slowing to a near stop. He peaked over his shoulder hoping, praying even, to see the telltale red and blue lights and sirens of a police car coming up the road, but still there was no sign of anything. He looked back inside to see the boy's mother jump up and claw at Mammoth's arms in a mad attempt to rescue her child, but Mammoth effortlessly pitched her aside. He then balled up his free hand into a fist, and he aimed it directly for the small boy's face.

The traveler now realized that he had a choice. Help wasn't coming; he couldn't comprehend as to why, but it was the case nonetheless. He could do something, he knew he could. Then again, that was the whole reason he had left home in the first place. If he let loose, if he showed what he could really do, it would start all over again. Besides, this wasn't his fight. He was just walking down the street, right? He was walking down the street, heard an explosion, and fled the other way. That's what any sensible person would do in his position.

"HELP!"

He froze. He had heard it, and there was no way he could deny it. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly, and a fire began to build in the pit of the stomach. How dare he even think of running away! He may have been a coward that ran away from home, but that had been to protect those he loved. By that logic, there was no way he could turn his back on people that needed his help, especially if it was a small boy. His eyes snapping open and sparking with renewed rage, he leapt to his feet and then stepped through the shattered window.

"Hey, you big stupid ox!"

Mammoth had just nearly struck the boy when the insult hit his ear. He whirled about to face the newcomer, and he sized him up with a predatory gaze.

"You say something short stack?" he growled. "I'm kinda in the middle of something right now!"

His sheer size alone was enough to unsettle the young traveler, but he held his ground and the behemoth's stare.

"Why don't you pick on somebody your own size!" he shouted while trying to hide the crack in his voice. "Put the kid down, right now, or I swear that you'll regret it!"

That only made the big man laugh, and he bent down just enough so that his hot breath was steaming up the traveler's face.

"Is that so? Well then, come on! Take this little brat from me! I wanna see you do it."

Something in the back of the traveler's mind reminded him that he still had time to run, but he immediately forced it down. He was now past the point of no return, and he was ready to face whatever consequences came his way. He took a deep breath, and then he placed a hand on Mammoth's chest.

"Ok, you overgrown, walking shag rug! Don't say I didn't warn you!"

Mammoth stared at him with mounting confusion, and then…

KAZAP!

Before anyone knew what had happened, Mammoth was sent flying backward, releasing the boy in the process whom was immediately scooped up by his mother. The big lummox crashed into his two remaining comrades. The commotion was enough to bring their leader back to the front of the bank.

"What's going on out here?" he demanded. "Can't you socket suckers keep things quiet for just a few minutes while…I…"

He spied the current condition of his comrades, and then his gaze landed on the newcomer, who's fingers were still sparking with blue lightning. He studied the figure carefully, and then his scowl deepened.

"Hey, what's the big idea of muscling in on our heist?! Who do you think you are?"

The newcomer raised his eye, popped his neck, and the lightning seemed to dance from behind his pupils as he shot the younger boy an angry glare.

"The name is Static!" he declared boldly. "And I'm about to put a shock to your system, pipsqueak!"

The young boy reeled back at the insult, but he quickly composed himself as he shot Static a scathing look.

"Listen, buddy, I can see that you're new in town, so let me tell you how things work around here. We rob folks, and we get away with it. There ain't no room in this town for heroes no more, and that includes, but is not limited to, a second rate, out of town, slog swallowing noob like you. So why don't you clear out of here before you have to find out how dangerous the H.I.V.E Five really is!"

This caused Static to pause, and he did a quick head count of the group assembled.

"Eh, I don't mean to be a pain, at least not in this sense, but why are you called that when there's only four of you?"

Whatever kind of reaction Static had been expecting, he didn't get it. Instead, the shorter boy's face became as red as a tomato, and he lashed out with one of his spider legs. Static dodged, but by then the other three had recovered and charged him. Mammoth was the first to set upon him, smashing the ground so hard that it shook the entire bank, knocking Static off his feet. See-more followed this up by firing a massive energy blast from his solitary eye, only narrowly missing his initial target when Static flattened himself against the ground. There was a swish of cloth, and then the fourth member materialized over him with the intent of landing a falling punch. Static rolled to the side and retaliated by sending a surge of electricity towards him. However, the figure lifted his cape, and the lightning seemed to vanish inside of it. Static stared at him with a confused, and partly horrified, expression, and then he grimaced.

"Ok. That is so not fair!"

"If that's what you think, then you're gonna love this."

Static looked up to see the shorter kid's spider legs retract into his backpack, only to be replaced by a pair of pterodactyl wings and shoulder mounted blasters. Static's eyes went wide, and all of the sudden he didn't want to be a hero anymore. Snapping to his feet, he bolted out the broken window and went charging down the street. Tossing a quick glance over his shoulder, Static was horrified to see that they were following after him. The short kid even fired upon him, the red energy bolts narrowly missing his heels. He ducked into a nearby alley in the hopes of giving them the slip, but his hopes sank into his feet when he was greeted by a massive wall of brick. As he skidded to a stop, he could hear the sounds of malevolent snickering coming from behind him. Static gulped, but he turned about and steeled himself to face whatever came his way. All four of the fiends were lined up in the alley's entryway, and they had completely cut off his escape. The smaller of the four was now perched on Mammoth's shoulders, and he was grinning from ear to ear as his crew slowly approached.

"Oh, it's over for you, pal." he jeered. "Now you're gonna find out how the H.I.V.E Five keeps the mouthy members of society in line. See-More, vaporize him!"

The skinnier teen took a couple of steps forward, and his eye began to glow a bright. Static braced himself, and he awaited the inevitable blast while praying to whatever deities listening any kind of mercy.

Suddenly, there was a pop, followed a long, low hissing sound. Before any of them knew it, the entire alleyway became engulfed in a thick black smoke. See-More cancelled his attack, and he and his fellow teammates tightened their formation, forming a sort of small circle. He trembled and quaked, and a cold sliver of dread raked its way up his spine.

"Guys, I recognize this. You don't think…he is back, do you?"

"D-don't be stupid!" the shorter figure stammered nervously. "They're gone, remember. There aren't any slug swallowing heroes in this city anymore!"

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure of that!"

Before he could register what was happening, something attacked the small boy from behind, knocking him off of Mammoth's shoulder. What followed was the sounds of something moving quickly and the striking of several bodies. When the smoke finally cleared and Static could see again, the H.I.V.E Five were all lying on the ground, and a new figure was standing over them in a triumphant pose. He was dressed from the neck down in a solid black battle suite save for the copper colored moon emblem emblazoned on his chest. His most striking features, however, was his eyes and hair. His left eye was green while his right was blue, and his way was a near greyish-white. He was certainly one of the most interesting people Static had ever seen, but that didn't mean he was any less thankful that the guy had just pulled his bacon out of the fire.

The newcomer dusted off his hands, and he popped a kink out of his back.

"That wasn't so tough." he mumbled to himself. "Not bad for my first real outing."

He looked up to Static, and he offered him a wave.

"Hey there, you alright? You're pretty gutsy for taking on the H. Five head on without a plan, but you made my job a lot easier. Fortunately, a lot of people didn't hurt thanks to you."

Static was at a loss for words. In truth, he felt kind of bashful. He wasn't used to receiving such praise, nor was he used to people being comfortable around his powers. He was about to offer a reply, but he froze when Mammoth slowly rose back to his feet. He didn't look happy, and his furious sights were aimed directly at the black clad boy's back.

"Hey, look out!" Static called out, but it was too late. Mammoth wound up his arm, and then he struck the boy with the force of a dump truck. The boy went flying through the air until he crashed into the brick wall, and he slid back to the ground in a dazed heap. By now, Mammoth's comrades had also recovered, and the H.I.V.E Five began to close in on their helpless targets. Static was once again in a panic, and he rushed over to his fallen ally and began to shake him hard to wake him up.

"Wake up! WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP! They're gonna kill us if you don't do something!"

The boy's eyes popped open, and they rolled around in his sockets.

"Yeah, ma." he slurred. "I'd love another piece of pie."

With a snarl, Static placed a finger in the boy's ear, and he let loose a mild shock. The boy suddenly jolted to his feet, pun intended, and he gave his head a serious shake. When he had recovered, he could see the wall of fiends closing in on them. Static watched him carefully, curious what he would do, and his confusion mounted when the boy placed a hand over his left eye. He counted to three, and then he lowered his hand and retrieved a red, bird shaped boomerang from a pocket on his belt.

"When I say now," he instructed to Static, "release every ounce of electricity you've got! Don't hold back a single volt!"

With that, he reared back his fist and sent the weapon hurling through the air. However, much to the fiends' amusement and Static's horror, the spinning projectile curved upwards towards the rooftops, completely missing the H.I.V.E Five. The shortest of the group cut loose with a cackle.

"You missed us by a mile, maggot face."

However, the boy in black merely folded his arms across his chest, and a smirked etched its way across his mouth.

"Actually, Gizmo my minute friend, I wasn't aiming at you."

He pointed up, and the four crooks looked likewise. The projectile had indeed struck something. Particularly, it had sliced through one of the support beams of a water tower. With a primary support damaged, the tower could no longer withstand the weight of the water within, and it toppled over the side of building, nearly drowning the entire H.I.V.E Five with several gallons of water.

"NOW!" the boy exclaimed, and Static stepped forward and unleashed the lightning. The blue arcs of electricity flew straight and true towards the conducting fluid, and the energy danced from one member of the H.I.V.E Five to another. When it was over, all four criminals were lying on the ground in a smoking, unconscious pile. It was over.

Static felt absolutely exhausted, having used far more energy than he had been intending. As for his new comrade, he bent down and retrieved his missing projectile, which had conveniently been swept back down to ground level via the water tower. After tucking it away into his belt, he turned back to Static.

"Nice work." he complimented proudly. "I'd say I wouldn't want to face you in a dark alley, but I think that would be a little redundant, don't you?"

Static flashed him with and incredulous look.

"Are you seriously cracking jokes? We could have died here!"

The boy shrugged.

"No need to be so critical, bud. We won, didn't we?"

"Yeah, out of dumb luck." Static replied dryly. "Are you crazy or something?"

The boy sneered at him.

"You know, that's a fine way to thank the guy that saved your sorry keester. I was the one that knocked over the water tower."

"How could you have even known that it was going to work?" Static challenged. "You could have just as easily smashed us to bits."

"But we weren't, were we?" the boy snapped back. He fell silent for a moment, and then he sighed. "Look, we're getting off on the wrong foot here." He exteneded his hand. "My name is Midnight, local vigilante. You?"

Static studied him for a moment, and then he accepted his hand.

"Call me Static, and believe it or not I actually came to this town to avoid insanity like this."

Midnight laughed at that.

"Don't know where you're from, my friend, but you won't find a more pitiful place than old Jump City."

"Oh, really?" Static said. "Two words: Dakota City."

Midnight's eyes widened, and he released Static's hand like it had the plague.

"Ok, point taken. Even a garbage dump would be an improvement than that place."

There was a momentary pause between the two, and then they broke loose in a fit of friendly laughter. Before long, they had locked arms around one another's shoulders, and you wouldn't have even known that they had only just met. As they composed themselves, Midnight looked to Static.

"So, you're new in town, right? Got a place to stay?"

Static shook his head.

"No plan is the best plan." he said. "Or, at least, that's what I told myself when I got on the bus. Truth is, I'm flat broke, and I don't have any relatives nearby."

"Well, we can't have you sleeping out on the streets." Midnight said pointedly. "You've already seen what kind of weirdos prowl the streets during the day. Trust me when I say that it's ten times worse at night, at least. I've got a crawl space where I bunk down for the night. Why don't you crash there until you figure things out?"

Static flashed him an uncertain look.

"You sure? I wouldn't want to put you out or nothing."

Midnight shook his head.

"I insist. Besides, it's a wreck one way or another, so there's very little you could actually do to it. Heck, you could set it on fire, and it would just make it look better."

He cut loose with a fresh bark of laughter, but Static couldn't help but feel uneasy. Then again, he had been given all of his shots, and it was the promise of what he hoped was a bed and at least a dry place to sleep. Better not to look a gift horse in the mouth. He nodded his consent, and then he shot a look towards the downed H.I.V.E Five.

"What about these losers?"

"I've already called the police." Midnight assured him. "Although, as I'm sure you've already seen, they're not very dependable in this town. But, at least, we won't have to worry about them for a bit. Come on."

Midnight started his way out of the alley, meanwhile carefully stepping over Mammoth's massive and prone form, and he made his way back into the street. Static soon followed, and he was quite ready to put an end to this wild down. Little did he know, that night was promising to be even wilder.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

Whatever Static was expecting for Midnight's homestead, he wasn't certain if he was satisfied or disappointed. As best as he could tell, it used to be an apartment building, but it looked like at least half of the building had been blown up. The white haired kid led him into the less destroyed part of the building, and they ascended several flights of stairs. By the time they reached Midnight's apartment, Static was ready to collapse on any furniture the taller boy had, but his heart sank when he realized that there wasn't any furniture. No couch, no tables, not even a single chair. There were, however, blankets scattered throughout the entire living area. There was also a bean bag chair, but Midnight quickly took up its sole occupancy.

"Mi casa es su casa!" he declared to his gift. "Find a good spot and feel feee to park it."

Static timidly floated over to a nearby pile of blankets, and he took a seat. He scanned the room, but he found that there was little to see. The room had clearly seen better days given the current state of decay, and there was a thick layer of dust over everything. That's not to say there wasn't anything of interest in the room. He spied a workbench with several little gizmos and doodads lying in parts and wholes. The strangest of them, however, was a small, yellow, circular device with a big T printed on the front. Curious, he got up and walked over to the bench and picked it up, turning it over in his hands and studying it carefully. Midnight observed the scene with growing interest, and he sat up in his chair.

"I don't suppose you've ever heard of the Teen Titans, have you?"

Static looked up, and he shot his host an odd look.

"Uh, no. Should I have?"

Midnight shrugged.

"Probably not. Sure, they've saved the world a time or to, but those were odd circumstances."

Now Static was hooked. Taking the tiny device with him, he took a seat in front of Midnight and offered his full attention. The older boy grinned, and he shifted his weight so that he was more comfortable.

"The Teen Titans were a bad of do goodies that used to live around here. They were led by Robin."

When Static's face lit up, Midnight couldn't help but smile.

"Yep, I do mean that Robin. He and his team really made a difference around here. Through teamwork, skill, and a whole lot of butt-kicking, they saved this city on my than one occasion from crooks the the H.I.V.E Five, and so much worse to be sure."

Static grimaced, and he took another look around the room.

"Something tells me that there isn't going to be a happy ending to this story."

Midnight's face fell, and he lowered his gaze.

"About a year ago, they just…vanished. I was standing on the roof of this very building when it happened. Titan's Tower, their home and base of operations, had become engulfed in this big column of light. Just like that, they were gone, and their enemies didn't waste a moment dividing this city amongst themselves. Nobody could stop them. The police were ill equipped, the city's power grid was hit so that nobody could call for help, and before anyone knew it the town was overrun."

Midnight's gaze darkened.

"And then, he took over."

The sudden intensity of the boy's tone unnerved Static. He backed away to give him a wider berth,

"Slade was ruthless." Midnight went on. "He all but decimated anyone that tried to stop him, and any heroes that came to challenge him disappeared. Nobody knows what he did with them, and even fewer care enough to guess what became of them. Before long, Jump City really did become a city without heroes."

There was a hint of despair in the boy's words, and it made Static's heart only sink further. Whoever this Slade guy was, he was bad news, and Midnight had a fine hatred of him it seemed.

"The city isn't completely out of heroes." he offered meekly. "I mean, it's got you, don't it."

Midnight looked at him and nodded.

"You better believe it, bucko. It's not been easy, but just one person can make the difference. Robin himself told me that once."

Static's face brightened once more.

"Woah! You've met him? Did you…"

"No, I didn't meet the other guy. Just Robin. He saved my life once, and he brought me here. He even taught me a few of his tricks and gave me some of his gear. It was one of his old bird-a-rangs I used back in the fight. Useful little buggers, even if they are a bit brightly colored."

He took out the said projectile, and he held it up to the dim light.

"He told me back then that it only took one person to change the world. From then, I was inspired to follow the same path as Robin and make a difference in people's lives like he did for me."

Static couldn't help but feel a bit of brotherly pride towards his new friend. That's the exact same way he had felt when he was a kid looking up to his parents. Everything he knew about being kind and the better parts of humanity, he learned from them. He had always wanted to be like his folks, and he was glad that Midnight has a good remodel.

However, the more he thought of it, it finally occurred to him that Midnight hadn't mentioned folks of his own. By his estimate, Midnight was maybe a year or two older than himself, so why was he alone? He opened his mouth to ask, but he stopped when Midnight let loose a long, drowsy yawn.

"Gosh, it's late." he groaned tiredly. "Fighting the Five really took it out of me. I think I'm gonna turn in for the night."

He got up from his seat, and he started his way towards another one of the rooms in the apartment.

"Crash wherever you want!" he called back. "I think there's some pizza left in the fridge, but it might be as hard as a rock by now. G'night."

"Night." Static called back, but Midnight had a already shut the door. Static was once again alone, and a bit unsure. He began to wonder if following this stranger had been a good idea. Sure, Midnight seemed like a nice enough fellow, and he proved to be both a valiant and true hero this evening. Still, there were too many unanswered mysteries about this stranger he now stared a space with. He wondered if maybe he should try to leave, but a tired yawn forced back his apprehension. Stranger or not, he needed his rest. It had been a long day, and he was sore from his beating prior to his coming here. He gathered up the blankets lying on the floor, and he made for himself a makeshift bed. Once he was satisfied, he laid down, closed his eyes, and before long he had fallen asleep.

…

Static awoke with a start at the sounds of stumbling. Remaining perfectly still, Statuc shot a quick look at his watch. 2 o'clock in the morning is what it said. Who would be awake around here at this hour?

Very carefully, he peaked past his covers, and he spied Midnight at his work bench. He appeared to have just restocked his gear, and it looked like he was going out. Static remained perfectly still as he watched Midnight scanned his surroundings before quietly making his way towards the door and making his way out. After giving it a couple of seconds, Static got up and started after him. When he found Midnight again, he was in the alley standing over a large thing covered with a tarp. After yanking the tarp off, he revealed that it was a red motorcycle with a stylized R printed in the side. Static watched as Midnight mounted the mighty machine, revved up the engine, and then took off into the dark night. Static finally came out of his hiding place, and he looked down the road with mounting confusion.

"He was off to somewhere in a hurry." He mused to himself.

The rational part of his brain told him to go back inside and go to sleep, but his curiosity was just that much stronger. He knew he couldn't catch up to him on fort, though. He checked the alley way for some mode of transportation, and, when his gaze landed on a tin trash can lid, his eyes lit up with elated delight.

"That'll work."

….

Midnight pulled his bike to a stop just a few yards away from his target. The target in question was an armored truck filled with one the most dangerous and destructive chemical in the history of mankind: xenothium. Once, it had been a black market special, but now, it seemed, it was virtually everywhere. The running theory was that after Dr. Chang, the regional expert on the material and the chief distributor, had disappeared a few months ago, there were common raiding parties on his private stock. Whether that was true or not, Midnight didn't know, but there was one good thing that came out of it. It would be the vessel that lead him to his first step towards setting this city straight again.

He waited patiently and watched the truck carefully, and he spied three youths exiting the cab: one girl with blonde hair, a boy with short, black hair, and a Hispanic youth. They were a sight to behold as they were all dressed in what could only be described as hippy attire. From bellbottom pants to brightly colored shirts, the three may as well of been time travelers from the sixties. What's more, they were were speaking with horrible British accents.

"Oi, That was a moighty fine hall of the red stuff, says I?" the Hispanic said.

"Right jolly so, old chap." the brown headed kid chimed in agreement. "The boss is gonna be right jitters when he sees this."

"And it was hardly any effort." said blondie. "That Johnny Rancid puke may as well of given it to us rather than accept that whipping you lads laid on him. You see the look on his face when we wrecked his precious bike?"

The three broke down with a unified cackle, but Midnight rolled his eyes. Mad Mod really was a sadistic, sorry son of a gun, and he felt no hindrances at the thought of driving his fist through the crazy Brit's face. All he had to do was sit close by and wait for them to finish loading their ill gotten spoils, and then it would be a simple matter of hitching a ride and…why was his hair sticking up?

He then finally noticed a strange electric charge building in the air, and he looked about curiously for the source. On an impulse, he looked up, and he gagged. It was that kid he had picked up earlier that afternoon. What was his name? Oh, Static! The dark skinned teen was gliding overhead, with a trash can lid of all things, and he was perched just above the three hippies. What was worse, they too had noticed him.

"Oi!" the blonde exclaimed. "Looks like we've got us a Smokey!"

She rushed back to the cab of the truck, and she came back out with a rifle, complete with a bayonet. She took careful aim at the underside of Static's trash can lid, and then she fired. Rather than lead, the rifle fired an energy bolt that split the lid in half, and the next thing Static knew was the sensation of falling followed by a crash landing in a nearby dumpster. As the three hippies converged in on him, Midnight broke from his cover and made a dash towards them.

…..

Static wasn't having a good day. The power of flight wasn't exactly new to him, but he had yet to fully master it before leaving Dakota. It was bad enough when he lost his concentration and fell several feet out of the air, but it was an even worse feeling when something knocked his ride out from under him. Fortunately, he had something soft to land on. Unfortunately, the smell was enough to peel paint in a prison laundry room. After spending a few moments looking for fresh air, his head popped out with sweet relief, only to have hopes dashed when three fashion tasteless punks pointed a gun at him. So, yeah, not a good day.

"Well, well, boys. Lookie what we have here." jeered the cute blonde girl, though her horrible accent made Staric cringe.

"He was flying around like a bloody UFO!" stated the Hispanic, his accent even more horrendous. "Must he one of those supers the boss warned us about."

"Whatcha think we should do with him?" the brown headed kid inquired.

Statuc could feel his heart sink when the blonde girl cocked her rifle.

"I dunno. I was thinking a little target practice was in order."

Static gagged, and he raised his hands defensively.

"Now, hold on! Don't I get a say in this?"

Before they could answer, Midnight dove onto the scene, snatching up Static as they darted into a nearby alley. When he was dropped to the ground, Static breathed a long sigh of relief.

"Man, oh man! Am I glad to see you!"

"Well I'm certainly not glad to see you." Midnight hissed back bitterly, causing Static to wilt. "What in the heck are you doing here? You've ruined three weeks of hard work and planning. If I can't salvage this mission, then I may never get a chance again."

"I don't even know what you're talking about!" Static shot back. "You invite me into your home, and then you just bolt? Did you really think I wouldn't have been curious? Now we've got three psychos with guns ready to skin us alive."

Sure enough, the blonde's friends had retrieved two more rifles, and they were opening fire on they alley way. Static and Midnight pressed themselves against the wall. Midnight's mind raced with a thousand thoughts. He was usually at his best when he had to improvise, but he wasn't sure how to deal with this problem without hurting the three aggressors. Just then, he spied the two halves of the discarded trash can lid, and an idea started to form in his head.

"Hey, Static!"

"Go away! I'm praying!"

"Shut up and listen to me! Look, I understand your scared, but here's something you need to know. Those three people, they aren't in control of themselves."

A shot rung in the air, and Static felt something graze past his ear.

"Seems like they're in control to me."

"They've got microchips on the backs of their necks that are forcing them to be like this." Midnight explained quickly. "I'll spare you most of the details, but here's the thing. When you fly like you were doing before, you do so through electromagnetism, right?"

Static shrugged.

"I guess so. I never was too good at science."

"Well here's something you may better understand. You know how magnets can mess with computers?"

Static nodded.

"Same principle, different scenario. If you can make a strong enough electromagnetic pulse, you should be able to short out the circuits on their control chips."

Static blanched.

"Woah, woah, hold up!" He stammered. "You want me to go out there and try something that may not even work? You're straight tripping!"

Midnight rolled his eyes, and he started digging through his utility belt, coming up with a small, egg shaped gizmo.

"Turn your head!" he instructed, and Static obeyed. He chucked the device back into the street, counted to three, and then squeezed his eyes shut. There was a bang, and he could soon hear the three teens crying out.

"My eyes! I can't bloody see!"

"What happened? What's going on?"

"Fellas, where are ya?"

Midnight nudged Static, and they both moved to the mouth of the alley where they could see the trio stumbling about.

"Flash bomb." Midnight explained. "It won't last long, but it's a big enough opening to give us a chance. I'm gonna run to the other side of the street and, when they're vision clears, call them over. When they're distracted, you do your thing. Clear?"

He didn't wait for an answer, and he made a break for the other side of the street. He took refuge on the other side of a vandalized car, and he peaked over the hood towards the trio to see that their vision had returned.

"Hey you!" he cried out, getting their attention. "The Beetles are overrated and sound terrible!"

That did it. The trio gawked at him at first, and then they became angry.

"Blasphemy!" declared the brown head.

"Bloody lies!" said the Hispanic.

"Let's gut the bloody yank!" exclaimed the blonde.

They opened fire on the car, and Midnight braced himself against the side of the car. It was up to Static now, and he hoped that the kid could play his part.

As for Static himself, he was slowly slinking up behind the three shooting teens. He wouldn't say he was afraid. Oh no. There wasn't a word Webster could think of to describe the utter horror he felt. All it would take was one small screw up, and this would end in a very bad way. He was barely an inch away from them, now, and it was time to play his part. He raised his hands just enough so that he was aiming at the back of their necks. He took a deep breath, focused and condensed his energies into his palms, and he let it go.

Perhaps he had put more power into it than he had expected. It knocked him backwards, and it knocked the three attackers flying forwards and into the car Midnight was hiding behind. The three collapsed to the ground, and it seemed like the backs of their necks were smoking. Static was looking utterly pale.

"Mid, I think I over cooked them."

Midnight moved from his hiding place, and he moved over to the brown headed teen, bent down, and checked his pulse.

"It's alright." he said. "They're alive. Just the initial shock of the disabled chips."

He gave the teen a gentle shake.

"Hey? Can you hear me?"

The teen groaned, and then he rose to a sitting position while rubbing his head. His two friends followed suite, and they all looked about. One by one, their faces brightened, and the Hispanic raised his hands to the sky and began to whoop and holler.

"Finally, we're free!"

"You can say that again, Jaime." the blonde said as she got to her feet. When she spotted Static, she lunged at him and snatched him in a near bone crushing hug.

"You have no idea what kind of a nightmare that was! We were conscious, but he had full control of how we spoke and acted. Thank you so much."

Static, whom had little to no interactions with any girl besides his sister, was feeling somewhat bashful, but he offered a kind smile and tried to pass it off as being part of the job. Midnight helped the brown headed teen to his feet, and he looked him over carefully.

"You sure you're alright? I'm sure Static was trying to be gentle, but that was a lot of electricity."

"My neck hurts more than anything." The teen replied assuredly. "Names Kyle. The other two are Courtney and Jaime. We were all runaways before…well, need I even explain it?"

Midnight shook his head.

"Not necessary, though I think it's high time you guys got somewhere safe. Three blocks from here is the local police station. I recommend finding sanctuary there. Also, not to be nosy, but I think you guys should try to get a hold of your folks."

The blonde, Courtney, nodded her head.

"When you're right, you're right. My stepdad is bound to give me an earful, though."

"That's nothing." muttered Jaime. "My abuela will probably roast me alive when she finds out where I've been."

The two of them started down the road, but Kyle remained behind. He was watching as Midnight moved over to the armored truck, inspecting it carefully and no doubt thinking up plans.

"Excuse me?" Kyle called as he moved up behind him. "But, are you planning on going after Mad Mod?"

"That's the initial idea." Midnight stated nonchalantly, his mind on other things.

"Then I'm going with you."

Midnight froze, and then he shot Kyle an incredulous look.

"Completely out of the question."

"Well it isn't a question. It's a fact!"

"Absolutely not! I can understand if you want revenge, but it's far too dangerous for you."

Midnight turned his back to him to cut the conversation short, but, to his surprise, he could see Static climbing into the cab of the truck.

"Static! What the heck do you think you're doing?"

"I called shotgun." the dark skinned teen replied.

"YOU AREN'T GOING EITHER!" Midnight exclaimed angrily. "This is strictly a solo mission, and a very dangerous one at that. Why do you even want to go?"

Static shrugged.

"I'm in this deep already. I may as well follow it through and see what happens. Besides, you could use the help."

"I was perfectly fine before you showed up." Midnight insisted. "My plan to sneak aboard this truck and ride it all the way to Mad Mod's lair was going fine."

"Oh, really?" Static asked skeptically. "And what exactly were you going to do when you got there?"

Midnight opened his mouth only to immediately shut it, and his face began to flush bashfully before glaring at Static.

"Ok, maybe I didn't exactly plan that far ahead, but I do my best work when I improvise."

"Speaking from experience, improvising only gets you so far." Kyle said pointedly. "Please, let me come along. Bedsides, I know the way there, as well as the layout of the land. You need me."

Midnight stared between him and Static, feeling completely helpless. He raised his hands to the sky as though looking for a sign, and then they dropped to us sides and he groaned.

"Oh, sure. Why the heck not?"

Kyle pumped his fist triumphantly, and he leapt into the driver's seat of the truck. Midnight hopped into the back with the xenothium containers, and he made himself comfortable.

"Ground rules!" he called up to the cab. "Under no circumstances are either of you to be either out of my sight or each other's sights. This isn't a game."

"Whatever you say, mom." Static jeered whole Kyle chuckled. "Let's get this party started!"

As the truck started down the road, Midnight could feel a pressure forming in the spot between his eyes.

"This is gonna be a long night."


End file.
